From pure combustion engines to purely electric: 7 drive types in comparison

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Just 20 years ago, 95 percent of all Swiss were driving on gasoline. Then diesel began its victorious march. But it wasn’t just the diesel scandal that brought petrol engines back on the agenda: they’re unrivaled in terms of price and emissions other than CO.₂ superior to diesel, and today turbochargers can even float one-liter three-cylinder engines. The downside: Gasoline engines are particularly inefficient due to their low efficiency. They are now generally becoming semi-hybrid (electric motors supplement petrol engines) and therefore more economical.

+ Ideal for short trips
+ Lowest purchase price
– Low efficiency
– unfavorable for CO₂

The emissions scandal devastated the diesel a second spring. Self-igniters were still needed for several years after VW’s cheat software to spread CO was recognized in 2015.₂– reduce emissions. But today not even ten percent of new cars are delivered with a diesel engine. And that’s despite the fact that the new diesels are actually clean and have a few other advantages: enormous range, higher torque and higher efficiency as a touring car. However, exhaust gas cleaning is now so expensive that diesel is increasingly disappearing from the market, mainly in favor of hybrid drives.

+ Deep CO₂-emission
+ Enormous range
– Expensive exhaust gas cleaning

Long before the electric hype, there was a real alternative to gasoline and diesel: natural gas/biogas (CNG) – not to be confused with liquefied petroleum gas (“Autogas”, LPG), which is unpopular in this country – cars are much cleaner, even with biogas CO₂-Neutral and nearly as sustainable throughout its lifecycle as Stromer. Moreover, it is 25 percent cheaper with CNG than with a gasoline engine. However, bulky manufacturers like VW or Fiat have never really been able to make CNG sexy; Also, there was always a lack of supply and a network of gas stations that were sometimes denser, sometimes thinner, depending on the region. Today, natural gas/biogas powered cars are only available as used cars.

+ Good environmental balance
+ Affordable operating costs
– Fine gas station network
– Just as an opportunity

That’s okay, given the extremely high sales figures: The future belongs to the battery-powered electric car (EV or BEV). Many questions, such as whether it is raw material, whether it is recycling, are debatable, but this is evolving. No driver uses energy more efficiently and this is important. The power requirement is exaggerated, new nuclear power plants are not needed (also interesting: 5 environmental myths about e-mobility). And they’re fun, quiet, and fast. Batteries still make electric cars more expensive than comparable internal combustion engines, ranges aren’t usually that high, especially in cheaper models, and charging options are still lacking in many rentals (also interesting: many Swiss don’t want to buy electric cars). In contrast, the operating and maintenance costs of electric vehicles are significantly lower than those of internal combustion engines.

+ Efficient and emission-free
+ Low operating costs
– Slightly more expensive than internal combustion engines though
– Lack of charging facilities for tenants

We are interested in mild hybrid (MHEV) under petrol engines – because they are already electrified in all directions and use only the electric motor as auxiliary motor. The full hybrid can also drive electrically, depending on the driving situation. It’s only slowly and only a few kilometers away – but it’s self-powered when gliding and braking and never needs to be plugged in. Thanks to the massive amounts, hybrid engines aren’t that much more expensive than petrol engines, they just aren’t worlds efficient. Still a good compromise.

+ Electricity without charging
+ Proven technology
– Not more efficient than diesel

All-electric, emission-free and quiet on short journeys of 30 to almost 100 kilometers, but without fear of empty batteries during the journey: the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) combines the world of internal combustion engines and the world of electricity. The low operating costs in E mode are attractive. However, a PHEV only makes sense when charged daily and needs a charging option. And technology costs twice as much in kilos and francs. If you’re not afraid of price, commute with electricity and still want to travel long distances in one go, you’ve come to the right place.

+ Zero emissions for short distances
+ No range anxiety
– Expensive and heavy technology

It is often forgotten in the discussion about the fuel cell car (FCEV): In principle, these are electric cars – only with electricity from an on-board power plant. Simply put, the meeting of hydrogen and oxygen in the air produces electricity. The only exhaust gas is water vapor, you can refuel quickly as with a gasoline engine, the ranges are the same. But hydrogen must first be produced using a lot of energy, there are few gas stations (currently nine in Switzerland), and the fuel cell is still very expensive due to its platinum content. Additionally, currently only Hyundai and Toyota offer fuel cell cars in series with the Nexo and Mirai.

+ Works without emissions
+ Fast refueling
– Almost no gas stations
– Almost no vehicles

Source: Blick